The Price of Possession by Dakota Brown (universal ebook reader txt) 📗

I went over and he brushed his fingers along my templebefore giving me a quick kiss.

"I'll see you later."

He smiled, glanced at Sabian, and gave a quick wavebefore he headed back toward my room.

I may have drooled a little bit watching him leave.

"He's one of the fittest nerds I've ever met,"Darius observed once Mal was out of normal human earshot.

I fought a grin, knowing Mal could hear anything thathappened in the house. "I'm enjoying it." Though my tone was lightand innocent, Darius' eyes widened, and I swear he blushed.

Sabian chuckled.

Not wanting to let the vampire's excellent cookingskills go to waste, I grabbed a plate and helped myself.

"Anyone else want food, help yourselves."

Sabian, able to tell what other people desired even ifthey were going to deny themselves, ended up serving everyone else.

Turns out hellhounds eat pancakes. Good to know.

I settled onto the loveseat with Sabian, and once I'dfinished stuffing my face, Sabian put his arm around me. Not really thinkingabout it, I snuggled against him and waited for everyone else to finish theirpancakes.

Darius, the most used to me, raised an eyebrow beforeshaking his head and going back to his food.

Aaron openly gaped and Deputy McClellan tried to hideher surprise.

The hellhound hopped into my lap and settled in for apost breakfast nap. I put my feet up on the coffee table and ignored everyone'slooks. They were just going to have to get used to it.

"Thanks for breakfast," Darius said oncethey'd finished.

"Thank Mal next time you see him. I don't evenknow where the real syrup came from," I replied.

"Mal," Sabian clarified.

"Figures. So, what else do you all need?" Iglanced at Darius.

He traded a look with Deputy McClellan beforeshrugging. "We're trying to put the pieces together so we can find theseguys and stop them before they try again. If Mr. Reed truly doesn't know whythey were after him, then we'll just have to keep looking."

"I really have no idea how they would have foundme, except I suppose by magic," Aaron said slowly. "I've neverencountered anyone like that woman before and that guy was extremely strong."

Something occurred to me. Sabian and Mal had bothreacted strongly to something about Aaron when they had touched him trying tofree him. I wondered if the guy with the demon riding along had the sameproblem. I wasn't sure I should ask in front of the other two, however. Thatmight clue them in to Mal's not quite human nature which would bring otherawkward questions.

"Well, I suppose we should go then. If there'sanything else you can think of, Mr. Reed, please let us know." Dariusstood and Aaron did as well, offering the priest his hand.

They shook and I reluctantly moved from Sabian'scomfortable embrace so I could see them out.

Aaron also shook hands with Deputy McClellan and thenI walked everyone to the door.

We all watched as they got into the deputy's car andpulled out of the driveway before Aaron turned to me.

"What other demons have you collected?"

"What?" I frowned, confused.

"Deputy McClellan said you were getting acollection of demons. One hellhound isn't a collection."

"Oh. Uh." I glanced at Sabian who shrugged,looking unconcerned so I pointed at him. "Incubus."

I could feel the force of Aaron's stare between myshoulder blades as I headed back toward the living room. Sabian went ahead ofme and started cleaning up. I really could get used to this.

"I truly don't know how I feel about that,"Aaron said when he joined us a minute later. I'd almost thought he was going togo hide in his room.

"Yeah, well, Mal's a vampire," Sabian declaredfrom the kitchen. "He's way more dangerous than I am."

Aaron, who'd just put his coffee mug to his mouth,choked.

I glanced at Sabian, raising my eyebrows.

"He said I could tell Aaron."

"Ahh." Well, that was good at least. "Ifit wasn't clear, you gotta keep that under wraps. We tried to keep the wholeSabian's a demon thing on the down low, but that didn't work out so well."

"Yeah, not going to tell anyone," Aaronwheezed as he tried to catch his breath. "They'd lock me up, if nothingelse."

"So, something about you is apparently painfulfor demons to touch."

"More felt like an electric shock. Surprised me,"Sabian explained. "But I think now that I am expecting it, I wouldn't haveas much of a problem. Mal probably had the same reaction."

Aaron hunched his shoulders and folded himself intothe chair.

"You okay, mate?"

"It's a lot to take in."

"So, that super strong guy, did he have anyissues grabbing you?"

"Now that I think about it, he did reactsurprised the first time he grabbed my arm, but the woman did something andthen he didn't have any problems. I...uh...wasn't able to get away, or..."He clenched his hands together and stared at them. "I guess I know yoursecrets. I do have some sort of weird ability." He shrugged. "I don'tknow anything about it. No one else in my family does. I can tell when peopleare lying, and some other stuff."

"Guess it's a good thing I'm a shite liar,"I replied, hoping to set him at ease, and wondering what the 'other stuff' was.He could tell us when he was more comfortable, though. It probably wasn'timmediately relevant.

He smiled. "I had noticed you haven't even tried."

"Life's not exactly an open book, but, well, there'snot that much to hide. I'm an exorcist, and apparently now I help demonsinstead of banishing them. Took a strange turn, is all. Still, not about to goout and sell my soul or any of that crap. What more do you want to know?"

"Probably none of my business, but..." Heglanced at Sabian, gestured helplessly, and shrugged. "Both of them?"

"Mate, Sabian is an incubus. I challenge you tokeep your hands off him if he doesn't want you to."

Aaron blinked a few times.

"Never fear, I could pick a form far moreappealing to you," Sabian joked from the kitchen.

"I... what?"

"Incubi are apparently shape shifters," Ireplied with a grin.

Aaron squirmed in his chair. "I'm good, thanks,Sabian."

The demon chuckled and I groaned. He really needed tostop doing that when I couldn't tackle him to the ground and